No rules for pot shops as L.A. strikes down medical marijuana ban

Leaving the city with no medical marijuana dispensary regulations in effect, Los Angeles officials made a final vote Tuesday to repeal the city's ban on pot shops.

The 11-1 vote came in response to a referendum to overturn the council's vote in July to ban dispensaries. With no rules in effect, officials said Tuesday they will be moving in different directions to develop a new plan to deal with the issue.

But, until new regulations are adopted, officials said they are unsure what will happen to the estimated 800 to 1,000 dispensaries now operating in the city.

Council President Herb Wesson said he expects the council will consider a proposal from Councilman Paul Koretz to allow an estimated 100 dispensaries that had earlier registered with the city to continue operations.

But Councilman Mitch Englander has suggested a tougher measure asking the Los Angeles Police Department and Building and Safety to report on possible enforcement actions to close down all the dispensaries.

"Right now, it's against the law to operate these dispensaries," Englander said. "We have asked Sacramento to come up with a solution."

Englander said he has been able to shut down all the dispensaries operating in his Northwest Valley district.

"What concerns us is that it is not just marijuana being sold there," Englander said. "There are other drugs and we have complaints of crime and people with guns at these storefronts."

Kris Hermes of Americans for Safe Access said it is now up to the city to sit down with medical marijuana advocates to work out a measure.

"We think the city can develop an ordinance that satisfies the police, the neighborhoods and the patient community," Hermes said.